Dr. Jessica Hladik

PT, DPT
Physical Therapist

I am a native of Minnesota and grew up enjoying my time outdoors somewhere on a lake or playing softball. During my freshman year of high school I injured my shoulder and was introduced to the physical therapy profession and immediately knew I wanted to be a physical therapist. Fast forward, I made my way down to Chattanooga, TN to obtain my Doctor of Physical Therapy degree and while I was there I took advantage of the hiking and breathtaking views. Shortly after graduating, my husband and I moved further south to Gulf Breeze, FL where we are now enjoying our free-time at the beach.

As a physical therapist, I have experience treating various conditions and age groups. I have gained most of my experience in an outpatient orthopedic setting addressing patients in various situations including post-op procedures, chronic pain, acute injuries, and athletes of all ages.

As I have worked with many patients from different backgrounds, I have found that many people are afraid movement will cause more harm or believe they will forever be in pain with their condition. I hope to change the mindset of my patients that fit into this category through education, motivation, encouragement, and building a strong patient-therapist relationship.

I enjoy working with athletes to aid their return to playing as this connects with my personal experience as a physical therapy patient. When not working with athletes, I have found that helping people return to the activities they enjoy is one of the most rewarding and motivating parts of my job.

One of the main reasons why I choose to work at Pivotal Physical Therapy is for the one-on-one treatment and relationships I can build which is hard to find at most conventional outpatient physical therapy clinics today.

While I am not at work I enjoy spending time with my husband and friends, getting involved with church events, reading, spending time outdoors, going to the beach, and traveling anywhere I can!